Sutra 21
Devanagari script
रथानां द्वौ त्रिभागावङ्गेष्वावापयेत् शेषमुरस्यं स्थापयेत् ॥ कZ_१०.५.२१ ॥
Transliteration
rathānāṃ dvau tribhāgāvaṅgeṣvāvāpayet śeṣamurasyaṃ sthāpayet
Translation
Of the chariots, one should add two-thirds to the ‘limbs’ (aṅga: wings/flanks), and place the remainder in the center.
Word by Word
रथानाम्of chariots
रथानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
Formषष्ठी-बहुवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम्
द्वौtwo
द्वौ:
TypeNumeral (Adjective)
Rootद्वि
Formप्रथमा-द्विवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम् (विशेषणम्)
त्रिभागौtwo one-third portions (i.e., two parts each of one-third)
त्रिभागौ:
TypeNoun (measure/portion)
Rootत्रि + भाग
Formप्रथमा-द्विवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम्; ‘त्रि’ उपसर्जन-पूर्वपदेन ‘भाग’ विशेषितः
अङ्गेषुin the wings/flanks (sections)
अङ्गेषु:
TypeNoun
Rootअङ्ग
Formसप्तमी-बहुवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्
आवापयेत्should place/insert (deploy)
आवापयेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootआ + √वप्
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; causative sense in usage: ‘to cause to be placed/inserted’
शेषम्the remainder
शेषम्:
TypeAdjective (used substantively)
Rootशेष
Formद्वितीया-एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम्/नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (प्रयोगे ‘the remainder’)
उरस्यम्in the front/central (chest) sector
उरस्यम्:
TypeAdjective (used as noun)
Rootउरस्य
Formद्वितीया-एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; ‘उरस्’ (chest/front) सम्बन्धि—‘pertaining to the front/centre’
स्थापयेत्should station/place
स्थापयेत्:
TypeVerb
Root√स्था
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; causative/denominative usage: ‘to cause to stand, to station’
Entities Mentioned
R
ratha (chariots)A
aṅga (wings/flanks)U
urasya (center)FAQs
It concentrates mobile striking power on the flanks for envelopment and disruption, while keeping a defined central mass for stability and command.